A well-known problem in buildings having basements is seepage of water into the basement, especially following periods of heavy precipitation. This seepage frequently accumulates at the floor line of the basement and, if not controlled, can cause substantial damage to the interior basement walls and to the contents of the basement.
This water seepage gets into the basement through cracks in the foundation walls which develop over time. Moreover, porous building materials, such as concrete block, are susceptible to percolation and seepage of water through the building material itself and into the interior portion of the structure. Another source of moisture arises from capillary action and water vapor.
Many ways of solving the seepage problem have been devised but have met with only limited success, often because of costliness and difficulty of installation. Attempting to seal the cracks in the foundation wall, either from the inside or from the outside, is not only very costly but generally is also ineffective. Further, moisture-resistant flashings or coatings tend to fracture and tear due to building expansion, settling, and careless installation.
It is common to drain off water in the vicinity of a building or structural foundation through a subterranean drain pipe disposed in a bed of aggregate gravel at the base of the foundation footing. However, such systems are frequently ineffective due to such factors as improper design or installation, or clogging of the drain pipe or the surrounding aggregate bed. Accordingly, attempts have been made to efficiently transport the water to the drain pipe. For example, hoses have been installed which interconnect the hollow center of the concrete block wall to the drain pipe or surrounding aggregate. This construction is not only costly and time-consuming to fabricate, but the hose openings tend to become plugged, thus reducing their effectiveness. Also, this solution is not effective for water which seeps into the interior of the basement.
Another proposal in an attempt to drain water from the interior of the basement is to place a plywood board against the foundation wall before the concrete slab floor is poured. The board is then removed while the concrete is still "green" and not completely set. However, there are several disadvantages to this procedure: it causes damage to the edge of the concrete floor; it results in additional labor costs; and it may cause the concrete floor to shift.
The present invention addresses these and many other problems associated with currently available drainage systems.